Archive for the ‘Adventure’ Category

London’s Knightsbridge area is amazing for many reasons, and one of them is the local casinos and gambling stores.

After all this blog is about travelling & gambling, or gambling & travelling, whichever order you prefer.

So if you go visit the most prestigious of London’s districts, namely Knighstbridge, you will not be disappointed when it comes to casinos and gambling.

Indeed there are many casinos, and this is because the UK are very permissive in this regard. But this is not so in most locations. In China, Hong Kong or Japan, gambling is not allowed. They have casinos in Tokyo, but you can only bet with chips that allow you to buy drinks. Of course in New York there is no casino except the underground ones, but they have a big slot machines parlor in Queens. But in most locations it it forbidden in the USA; you need to be in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Los Angeles or some Indian Reserve to play your favorite game of blackjack.

So the point is, when you walk along London’s streets, you will observe a lot of William Hill venues where punters love to place bets or play the slot machines. Which in itself is an unusual sight. In addition there are some casinos like the Park Tower Casino at the center of Knightsbridge near One Hyde Park.

Do not visit a payday loans shop to get some cash to play at this casino. This will probably not be enough to let you in. Because this is clearly the casino with the most wealth in its vicinity. A stone’s throw away, there is One Hyde Park, which is an apartment complex with billionaire dwellers, such as Formula One mogul Bernie Ecclestone or the Prime Minister of Qatar. And most of the residents in a one mile radius are millionaires with a few other billionaires like Roman Abramovich, the second richest Russian man. So as you can imagine the casino has an inclination for high rollers.

This is the most expensive area in all of England, and probably all of Europe, maybe the world. The average home value in the neighborhood is over one million pound. Walking around you will notice the beautiful luxurious building and houses, in a variety or styles. Victorian stuccoed houses, town houses, revival Gothic as well as some more modern dwellings. Private Gardens can be discovered in smaller streets away from the main arteries, in peaceful allays of multi-million pound houses.

Except elegant architecture, Knighsbridge is renowned for its shopping with Harrods and the most expensive brands represented, either inside or nearby. For a walk in the park, Hyde Park is next door. Finally dining is an amazing experience with a huge selection of the best chefs in the world, offering French, Russian, Japanese, and many more exotic dining experiences like Iraqi.

Switzerland is not the destination most people have in mind when thinking of an exotic destination, especially Europeans. But it is all a question of perspective, as exotic means ‘of foreign origin or character’, so for people living in the Maldives for example, Switzerland would be a very exotic trip to make.

Switzerland is interesting for numerous reasons, having a rich history as a starter. It was inhabited by a tribe called the Helvetii at the time of the Roman Empire and Julius Caesar narrates in his majestic work ‘Commentarii de Bello Gallico’ about the Gallic Wars how they had decided to burn they country down and to wander erratically in what is now the south of France. Certainly a more civilized conduct followed in the next two millennium.

The Swiss are famous for their watches of course such as their Rolex Watches, their cheese and their ski resorts. What is quite unique among other European countries is the high altitude, as Switzerland sits on part of the Alps. This implies that the country has always been somehow isolated and this is one reason why they have maintained their neutrality in time of war for a very long time.

So if you are looking for nice sunny beaches, better look somewhere else to the south as they have no sea at all. But they have beautiful lakes such as Lake Léman. If you like mountains and culture, this is a country you will enjoy, either in the summer or the winter, depending if you prefer skying or hiking. They have also great food due to the influence of their French neighbors to the West and Italians to the South.

Last but not least they also have quite a few casinos, in fact this is the European country with the most casinos. Here again for historical reasons, as the wealthy people who used to do their private banking or their thermal spa vacation in Switzerland liked also to do some roulette during their leisure time. The history of casinos starts in Europe and such games where played by the nobility or the ultra rich. It is only recently that the Americans have made it a mass market, starting in Las Vegas. So high rollers are familiar with names such as Casino Geneva or Grand Casino Baden in Zurich.

Don’s miss a chance to visit Switzerland, this country has a lot to offer.